Felt-tip pen wth refilling means

ABSTRACT

A felt-tip pen (1) for writing on posters or the like is inserted into an ink pot for refilling and keeping. In order to prevent the outer sides of the felt-tip pen from becoming soiled with ink, the felt-tip pen has an axial groove (12) parallel to the felt-tip (10) entered by a collar (22) that surrounds the opening (21) of the ink pot (20) when the felt-tip pen is inserted through the opening. This groove is designed in an intermediate piece (5) that bears the felt-tip and that is in turn inserted onto the cup-shaped end (3) of the handle with a second groove (11 ) of the same size as the first but oriented in the opposite direction. The felt-tip may thus be inserted on both sides onto the handle (2) and into the ink pot and at the same time it is well sealed in the ink pot.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to a device for writing on posters and the like,comprising an inkwell and a felt-tip pen, with the felt-tip penincluding a handle member and a felt tip secured therein which has oneend thereof extend out of the handle member. A felt-tip pen of this typeis known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,614,163.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the prior known felt-tip pen, the felt tip is held in an intermediatepiece exchangeably secured to the handle member, and is in abuttingengagement with a reservoir structure inside the handle member. In thisarrangement, the intermediate piece is of a tapering configuration inthe direction of the felt tip. This enables the felt-tip pen to beinserted into a funnel-shaped opening of an inkwell until the tip of thefelt tip takes support upon an absorbent body disposed in the inkwell.As a result of capillary action, the ink contained in the inkwell risesin the absorbent body, impregnating the felt tip resting thereon.Capillarity being also present in the felt tip, causing the ink to rise,the reservoir structure in the handle member becomes equally impregnatedwith ink. The supply of ink consumed by the felt-tip pen is thusreplenished automatically during breaks between uses.

When the pen is inserted into the inkwell, it occurs frequently that thefelt tip contacts the wall of the funnel, smearing it with ink. This inkis then directly transferred to the outside of the intermediate piece.When the user's fingers hold the felt-tip pen by the forward end in thearea of the intermediate piece to resume writing, they will promptlybecome stained with ink.

A further disadvantage is that the felt-tip pen effects a poor seal orno seal at all when inserted into the funnel. In cases where anexcessively narrow funnel is selected, the writing point fails to reachthe absorbent body, the felt-tip pen being already stuck short ofreaching it, in addition to being wedged considerably. Ink is thenprevented from rising up into the felt-tip pen. It is also not possibleto accurately match the dimensions of funnel, intermediate piece, lengthof the writing point and height of the absorbent body, because thewriting point is exposed to wear in use, and the absorbent body expandsto a greater or lesser degree, depending on the quantity of inkabsorbed. In the known embodiment of the felt-tip pen, it is thusnecessary ultimately to provide a specified gap between the funnel ofthe inkwell and the intermediate piece in order to ensure properfunctioning. Considering, however, that the felt-tip pen is customarilyinserted into the inkwell for storage also during prolonged periods ofnon-use, this gap logically causes the ink in the inkwell to dry out.Not only is ink thereby wasted uselessly, but the vaporization of theink also changes its consistency, impairing or even ruining the writingquality and also the replenishment effect. Further, depending on thecomposition of the ink, noxious fumes are continuously released.

It is an object of the present invention to configure a felt tip pendevice of the type initially referred to such as to effect a tight sealon insertion of the felt-tip pen into the opening of a congruentinkwell, without the felt-tip pen becoming wedged in the opening of theinkwell. It is a further object to configure the felt-tip pen in such afashion as to prevent the outer contour of the felt-tip pen frombecoming soiled with ink.

According to the present invention, this object is accomplished in thata groove concentric with the longitudinal axis of the felt tip isprovided, the groove encompassing the felt tip immediately behind theprotruding end of the felt tip and being open in the direction of thisend, thus enabling the felt-tip pen to be introduced into an opening ofan inkwell, in which process a collar encompassing the opening engageswithin the groove, the felt tip encountering an ink-impregnatedabsorbent body before the collar reaches the bottom of the groove. Thisembodiment ensures that ink smudges occurring at the opening of theinkwell are prevented from being transferred to the outer contour of thefelt-tip pen, because at no time is this outer contour introduced intothe opening. Yet, the felt-tip pen may be provided with a comparativelyslim design, so that view of the writing point is not obstructed in use.In this arrangement, groove and collar of the inkwell may extendperfectly parallel to each other, with a small gap being maintained onboth sides of the collar. This thus effectively avoids wedging of thefelt-tip pen as it occurs in the prior-art felt-tip pen due to itsconical intermediate piece. In spite of this gap, a tight seal iseffected, because the gap between the collar of the inkwell and thefelt-tip pen extends in U-shape, thus forming a labyrinth-type seal. Formaximum length of the labyrinth, it will be advantageous to provide thegroove with a depth which is a multiple of its width. The labyrintheffectively prevents the ink in the inkwell from drying out with thefelt-tip pen seated in place. Moreover, if the collar on the inkwell isarranged in a cylindrical hollow whose inside diameter is only slightlygreater than the outside diameter of the intermediate piece, a thirdsealing gap results enhancing the effect of the labyrinth still further.In this configuration, the labyrinth is S-shaped, without thisincreasing the material requirements for the wearing part of thefelt-tip pen.

In the felt-tip pen constructed in accordance with the presentinvention, wear of the felt tip and/or the absorbent body is effectivelycompensated for. The relative distance of the groove bottom and theupper end of the collar can be amply dimensioned to compensate fordifferences. The effect of the labyrinth is even substantially improvedby a large distance at this particular location, since changes of crosssection are generally desirable in labyrinth seals in order to achievethe full effect.

For a felt-tip pen in which the felt tip is held in an intermediatepiece exchangeably attached to the handle member and is in abuttingengagement with a reservoir structure inside the handle member, it isanother object to configure the intermediate piece such that the felttip can be used with both of its ends, affords ease of manufacture andready replacement.

This further object is accomplished in that the intermediate piece iscomprised of an inner and an outer sleeve concentrically arranged witheach other, with the sleeves being interconnected by a central linkmember such as to produce two equal grooves extending concentricallywith the longitudinal axis of the felt tip disposed in the inner sleeveand protruding from both ends, and that the handle member is insertedinto one of the grooves for locking engagement therein. The lockingengagement can be accomplished simply by providing in the inner sleevein the area of the link member an inwardly extending projection holdingthe inserted felt tip captive. The felt tip is then press-fitted intothe intermediate piece. In addition, a particular advantage results ifthe felt tip extends from both ends of the intermediate piece by thesame length and is configured as a writing end. This results in aperfectly symmetrical shape of the intermediate piece and the felt tip.The intermediate piece includes two identical grooves extending inopposite directions. With its first, upper groove, the intermediatepiece is pushed onto the congruent handle member until the felt tipextending into the handle member engages the reservoir structurereceived therein. As this occurs, the locking engagement between thehandle member and the intermediate piece is conveniently accomplished bya press fit. With its other groove, the intermediate piece is placeddown onto the inkwell as described in the foregoing. When the first endof the felt tip extending out of the handle member of the pen is worndown, the intermediate piece holding the felt tip can be simply detachedfrom the handle member and, using a turning motion through 180°, can beput back in place. Thus, the second end of the felt tip is available foruse. With the embodiment of the present invention it is thus possiblefor the wearing part of the felt-tip pen, that is, the expensive felttip and the intermediate piece to which it is attached, to be put todouble use, resulting in a 50% savings of these parts aside fromaffording functional advantages.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further advantages will become apparent from the subsequent descriptionof an embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawing whichillustrates, in cross-section, the felt-tip pen device of the presentinvention.

In the sole FIGURE of the drawing, a felt-tip pen 1 having a handlemember 2 is shown. The handle member 2 has a downwardly extendingcup-shaped portion 3 in which an absorbent reservoir structure 4 islocated. An intermediate piece 5 is attached to the open end of thecup-shaped portion 3. This intermediate piece 5 is comprised of an innersleeve 7 and an outer sleeve 6 interconnected in the middle of theirlength by means of a link member 8. Within the inner sleeve 7 in thearea of the link member 8, a projection 9 is formed tapering to apointed end in the direction of the center line of the inner sleeve 7.Press-fitted into the intermediate piece 5 is a felt tip 10 securedagainst axial displacement by the projection 9. The felt tip 10 projectsfrom both ends of the intermediate piece 5 by the same length, its twoends being configured as writing ends 13 and 14. According to theembodiment described, the intermediate piece 5 includes two grooves 11and 12 of equal depth which are open in upward and downward direction,respectively, when viewing the drawing. The intermediate piece 5 has itsupper groove 11 pushed into engagement with the open end of thecup-shaped portion 3. The wall thickness of the cup-shaped portion 3 isdimensioned such as to be a press-fit within the groove 11, insertiontherein being only possible at a considerable effort. Insertion into thegroove is stopped when the writing end 13 abuts the reservoir structure14. To compensate for length variations, a free space is maintained atthe bottom of the groove.

In use of the felt-tip pen 1, the writing end 14 eventually wears down.As becomes readily apparent from the FIGURE, when the permissible amountof wear is exceeded, the intermediate piece 5 plus felt tip 10 can bepulled off from the cup-shaped portion 3 of the handle member 2, turnedthrough 180°, and replaced. The second writing end 13 is thus availablefor further use, while the worn end engages the reservoir structure 4inside the handle member 2 for feeding the ink. This embodiment thusenables both ends of the relatively expensive felt tip to be used.

During periods of non-use, that is, at night and during breaks betweenuses, the felt-tip pen 1 is stored in an inkwell 20 as shown in thedrawing. To this end, the inkwell 20 has an opening 21 bounded by avertically upwardly extending collar 22. The collar 22 is shaped toregister with the groove 12 of the intermediate piece, yet of a wallthickness somewhat smaller than the width of the groove 12, and of aheight somewhat lower than the depth of the groove 12. The collar 22 isprovided on a horizontal wall portion 23 merging into a vertical wallportion 24 which, on extending to a height nearly double the height ofthe collar 22, curves into a plane portion of the housing 25 of theinkwell 20. The vertical wall portion 24 thus forms a hollow 26encompassing the opening 21. The inkwell 20 also accommodates anabsorbent body 30 impregnated with ink on which the writing end 14 ofthe felt tip 10 sits in order to be saturated with ink.

As the felt-tip pen 1 is inserted into the opening 21, the distancerelative to the vertical wall portion 24 is relatively large, so thatthere is hardly any risk for the felt tip impregnated with ink to comeinto contact with this wall portion 24. As soon as the intermediatepiece 5 enters the hollow 26, the felt-tip pen is guided by theintermediate piece 5 through the hollow 26 and accurately directed intothe opening 21. In the process, the collar 22 enters the groove 12 untilthe writing end 14 of the felt tip encounters the absorbent body 30. Arespective free space is then maintained above the collar 22 at thebottom of the groove 12 and below the outer sleeve 6 above thehorizontal wall portion 23, so that tolerances and length variations ofthe felt tip 10 are compensated for.

Although a certain amount of clearance and thus an open gap is providedbetween all parts of the intermediate piece 5 and the inkwell 20 forgreater ease of handling, this embodiment is still capable of effectinga tight seal of the felt-tip pen in the inkwell, because the gap extendsin S-shape, thus forming a labyrinth. Gases which are lighter than air,get trapped in the space above the collar 22, forming a barrier. In thepresence of gases heavier than air, these will collect in the spacebelow the outer sleeve 6. This type of seal is thus equally suited tovarious types of ink using any conceivable solvent.

If, during insertion of the felt-tip pen 1 into the opening 21, the felttip 10 contacts the inner surface of the collar 22, producing inksmudges on this surface, these are prevented from being transferred tothe outside of the intermediate piece 5, reaching invariably only thegroove 12. In consequence, the outsides of the felt-tip pen 1 are keptfree from ink at all times, thus precluding soiling of the user'sfingers during handling. Ink can only be transferred from the felt tip10 direct. It is not possible to hold the felt-tip pen 1 by soiledoutsides.

In the embodiment of the felt-tip pen 1 with intermediate piece 5 asdisclosed in the present invention, the particular configuration of theintermediate piece 5 enables the felt tip to be used with both its ends,while at the same time a tight seal is effected in the inkwell 20affording ease of handling without wedging.

What is claimed is:
 1. A device for writing on posters and the like,comprising an inkwell and a felt-tip pen, with the felt-tip penincluding a handle member and a felt tip secured therein which has oneend thereof extending out of the handle member, characterized in that agroove (12) concentric with the longitudinal axis of the felt tip (10)is provided, said groove encompassing the felt tip (10) immediatelybehind the protruding end of the felt tip (10) and being open in thedirection of said end, thus enabling the felt-tip pen (1) to beintroduced into an opening (21) of the inkwell (20), in which a collar(22) encompassing the opening (21) engages said groove (12), the felttip (10) encountering an ink-impregnated absorbent body (30) before thecollar (22) reaches the bottom of the groove.
 2. A felt-tip pen asclaimed in claim 1, characterized in that the depth of the groove (12)is a multiple of its width.
 3. A felt-tip pen as claimed in claim 1,characterized in that the felt tip (10) is held in an intermediate piece(5) exchangeably attached to the handle member (2) and is in abuttingengagement with a reservoir structure inside said handle member (2),that the intermediate piece (5) is comprised of an inner and an outersleeve (6, 7) concentrically arranged with each other, said sleeves (6,7) being interconnected by a central link member (8) to produce twoequal grooves (11, 12) extending concentrically with the longitudinalaxis of the felt tip (10), and that the handle member (2) has acup-shaped portion (3) inserted into one of the grooves (11, 12) forlocking engagement therein.
 4. A felt-tip pen as claimed in claim 3,characterized in that in the inner sleeve (7) in the area of the linkmember (8) an inwardly extending projection (9) is provided holding theinserted felt tip (10) captive.
 5. A felt-tip pen as claimed in claim 3,characterized in that the felt tip (10) extends from both ends of theintermediate piece (5) by the same length and has both its endsconfigured as writing ends.